Tufting needle



Patented Sept. 20,` 1932 A.UNITED vs'lnar-E-s] Parar WILMER L. ROBERTS, OF 'PALMYRJL NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO WMJH. HORSTVIANN CO., OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATIQN F PENNSYLVANIA TUFTING NEEDLE Application ined May Y This invention relates to ynew anduseful improvements in tufting needles and has for an object'provision of novel means for adjusting the functional lengthof said needle.`

Another object of the invention is tol pro#v vide a tufting needle wherein -the threading of said vneedle is greatly simplified. i Y

. Another object of the invention is to pro. vide a tufting device wherein needles of various sizes and character may be interchangeably secured in a common holder;V

Another object of the invention is to pro-l vide a tufting needle of novel design where in the friction between'the needle and the yarn and fabric s substantially reduced.' l.

Another object of. the invention is to prop kvide a tufting needle, .the tip of which 'is novelly constructed to eliminate the tendency to cut or damage thefabric. f

A further object'v of the invention is to provide a tufting needle, the eyelet in the tipfof which isformed to permit the yarn to travel freely and without friction through said eyelet. j j l j The invention further resides in certain novel features and details of construction set forth hereinafter and shown in theaccompanying drawing, in which: j Y Figure l is a perspective view of the tuft ing device embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of a tuftingv needle removed from the holder;

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the movable collar for maintaining the needle inany longitudinal position within the holder to which it is adjusted;l

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view on lined-44, Fig. 5;

Fig. 5 is a'transverse'sectional view on line 5-5,Fig.t; and Y Fig. 6 is a transverse line 6-6, Fig. 4c. v j l This invention contemplates certain'novel improvements in tufting `devices designedto eliminate certain defects present heretoforeV in similar devices. Thetuftingfneedle in the present instance is Vformed with asulostan-V tially Vtriangular cross sectional shape, the` purpose of which is to reduceV to a mini- 50 mum the frictional resistance to the passage fioY sectional Vview on 1931. serial No. 536,880. f i

of yarn through the said needle'and tothe passage of the needle through the base fabric.

The triangular sha-pe of the needle reduces Contact with the'yarn to three points'on the innerfsurface of the needle where, in the past the sai-d contact has occurred through# yarnjand theV inner circumferential surface ofthe circular needle. VThe novel form of' the needle described above Valso permits theA j relatively easy insertion and withdrawal off lycut off Vthe adjacent sidesthereof at the;V

' out the entire circumferential surface of the the .practice 4 i said tip, leaving a blade-like eXtension-atthe -1 point whichhad a tendency to cut or damage i the fabric. In accordance with this inven- Inanner, 4the material of thecneedle adjacent the tip being ldrawn up towards the vpoint at the sides thereof, and by rounding up they sides, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawing,z

the tendency ofthe point or tip to sever or Y Y ff Vyarn is adaptedVV to pass at the tip of the needle. Heretofore the eyelet has been meres ly punched out and the passage ofthe yarn. through the eyelet is subjected to an unnecestion, I construct the tip of a needle in a: novel L j 70 i sary amount of friction which retards the v free passagethereof through the said eyelet. In the present instance I form, the eyelet by pressing out a tongue-like portion shownl in Fig.I V2 vof the drawings' which is Vfolded against the inner surface of the needle to form a rounded bead-like element overwhich- 9o the yarn 'travels freely and which4 has no tendency :to Vfri'ctionally Vresist lthe passage of the said yarn through the needle and the eye in the tip'thereof. 1 Y

I also provide a novel arrangement of lon gitudinal slots in the 'component parts ofl my device which greatly enhance the ease lwith which my tufting devicemaybe threaded; j Referringto the drawing, the tufting needle embodying my invention consists ofa holder.; l comprising arhandle 2, having a longitudiico - further formed von the tubular element 5 ad are formed to pass over the outer end surface of the handle 2. VAn annular bead Tis i s v acent the rear end surface ofthe said handle 2. A longitudinal slot 8 is formed in the tubular element 5 and ispositioned therein to substantially 'coincide with`V the slot `4 formed in the handle 2. A plurality Yof aligned parallel notches 9 are formed Vatyone side of the slot 8' in the portion of the tubular elementl 5 extending rearwardly of the handle 2. A slidable Collar member 10( hav-v ing outwardlyextending toothed flanges 11v is longitudinally and internally positioned inthe tubulanmember 5, the saidl toothed flanges 11 of the member 10 beingadapted to extend outwardly through the slot 8 in the 'ftube 5,v affording a suitable guide for the memberY 10 and means for Vmovingfthe said member longitudinally Vin the tube'., An offset tongue 12 at the rear end of the'tube 5 prevents the removal of the member 10 from`said tube 15'. An annular eyelet 13 is.

formed adjacent'V the rear 'end of the tube 5 and integrally therewith, the said eyelet being substantially parallel `to the transverse afxiszof the saidtube 5, the purposefor which will be set forth hereinafter. V

A plurality of needles 14, adapted for use in conjunction with the above described device, may be of various cross sectional size, depending upon the type of workto be done.'

However, for the purpose of description,` it is only necessary that the details of onefof such needles be :set forth.. j v The needles -14 comprise m generalja cy-` lindrical portion 15 of standard `crosssection ldimension and a smaller triangular portion 16 which may .bef of various crosssectional dimensions not exceeding' that :of `the cylin- I drical portion 15, (see Fig. aligned f slot 17is formed respectively inkeachone of v the portions 15 and 16 of theneedle 14 they said slotsl being vadapted when operably secured in the handle 2 andthe'tube 5, to substantially coincide 4Vwiththe grooves 4 and. 8

respectively .formed therein. An outwardly extendingVA tongue 18 -is formed on the rear.

end `of the needle 14 and-'integral therewith, the said tongue`18 being adapted to movein the coinciding slots 4 and 8 in thehandle2f andthe tube respectively and' to be moved into engagement with one of the parallel slots 9 when the needle 14 is turned. The working tip of the needle at the outer exj tremity of the triangular portion 16 of the said needle 14 lhas an eyelet 19 formed therein by pressing out the tongue designated as 20 in Fig. 2, the said tongue 2O being folded inwardly against the inner face of the needle 14 to form aV rounded bead-like edge, over which; the yarn `travels freely and which has no tendency togfrictionally 'hinder the passage thereof through 'the needle.

To assemble the device, a needle 14 of de-V sired 4c 'ro'ss sectional dimension is placed in theholder Y 1"Y comprising the handle 2 and the tube 5 in such a manner that the laterally "extendingtongue' `18 of the latter, resides in oneof the parallelslots 9 formedA at one side of the slotf8`in the tubev, the said.

tongue 18 being .inserted inthe slot which affords the adjustment Ydesired' foi` ensuing tufting operation. f When the tongue `18v resides in one ofthe slots9, the slots 17 ofthe needle 14|are placed in a substantially corresponding relation coinciding with theslots 4 and 8 formed-in lthe handle 2 and tube 5. The collar member lO-is lthen positioned to abut the'i'ear extremity of `theneedle 14, inl which""position, theV outwardly extending flanges/"1 1 of the member 10 are arranged to prevent the removal of the tongue 18 .from the slot 9 until :themember 10 is moved out of engagement with the needle 14. Y j

vWhen threading the needle, itis merely necessary to. pass the yarnthrough the eyelet v 13 and the yeye 19 ofthe needle14, and the slotsl, 4 and Sirespectilvely4 coinciding will j permit the yarn to pass inwardly ofthe tuftingV needle, greatly simplifying the threading process which would be difficult, yshould it be .Y necessaryl to pass the yarn longitudinally through the entireneedle.

n In using the tufting 14 adjustably positioned for the ensuing work, the tip 20 of the needle 14 is passed through the basematerial, such as burlap. The said needle being Vpushed through the fabric to the handle 1, the needle is raisedto appoint just above the upper surface of the fabric,vand a loop of yarn is formed in the under side of the fabric.fl`he needle pointA 20iis then moved to the 'point'. for the next device with theme19 stitch and is again passed tothe underside.

ofthe fabric tothe handle and again raised to apoint just sufficient to permit thepoint 20 .of the needle to :be moved for a subsequent stitch. l

Iclaimy i, Jj d.

A1. AAV holder fora tufting needle comprising a' handle'V and a V.cylindrical tubular 'element extending youtwardly at vone end thereof, the said handle and tube having aligned slots therein and the tube further having parallel slots extending normal to and con vnected with the first4 lme,ntioned slot saidk tube, a tufting needle comprising a cylindrical and a triangular portion having aligned grooves therein, an outwardly extending tongue at the outer end of the cylindrical portion and arranged to engage the parallel slots in the holder, and a collar slidably mounted in said hold-er and arranged when in abutment with the needle to prevent the removal of said tongue from engagement with the parallel slots, the slots in the holder and needle being arranged to coincide With each other in their respective positions When the tongue of the needle is in engagement with one of said parallel slots.

The combination of a holder having a plurality of parallel slots therein, a tufting needle slidable with respect to said holder, means carried by said needle arranged Jfor engagement with said slots and means carried by and slidable with respect to the holder arranged when in abutment With said needle,

a to prevent the removal of the means carried by said needle from one of said slots.

3. The combination With a holder, having a plurality of parallel slots therein, of a tufting needle slidably mounted in said holder, means carried by said needle arranged to engage said slots for a fixed position of the needle longitudinally with respect to the holder and means carried by the holder for locking the needle in the fixed position in said holder.

4. The combination of a holder having a plurality of parallel slots therein, a tutting needle comprising a cylindrical and a triangular portion slidable With respect to said holder, means carried by said needle arranged or engagement With said slots, and means carried by and slidable With respect to the holder arranged When in abutment with said needle, to prevent the removal of Vthe means carried by said needle from one of Y said slots.

5. A. tutting needle having longitudinally aligned slots therein, a holder arranged to re-` ceive said needle comprisingV a tubular ele' ment having longitudinal slots substantially coinciding with the slots in the needle to facilitate threading thereof, said tubular element also having parallel slots therein, and means carried by the needle arranged for insertion in said parallel slots for determining the position of the needle With respect to the holder.

WILMER L. ROBERTS. 

